Tomato Ripening - Reading Answers for IELTS Academic

You are not completely prepared for the IELTS Academic Reading test until you have practiced passages such as ‘Tomato Ripening Reading Answers’. It not only helps you improve your critical reading skills but also introduces you to a wide range of reading passages you may encounter in the actual IELTS exam.

The Academic Reading passage, Tomato Ripening, is an IELTS reading passage that consists of 14 questions. Each task in the IELTS passage is divided into several sets of questions. So, let's see how easy this passage is for you and if you're able to make it in 20 minutes. If not, try more IELTS reading practice tests from IELTSMaterial.com.

The question types found in Tomato Ripening - IELTS Reading Answers are:

• IELTS Reading Sentence Completion (Q. 1-3)
• IELTS Reading flowchart Completion (Q. 4-7)
• True/False/Not Given IELTS Reading (Q. 8-14)

Reading Passag

Tomato Ripening

Tomatoes give off minute quantities of ethylene gas which is active in starting the natural ripening process. If left to nature; however, the tomatoes ripen randomly. The trickled ethylene gas process of tomato ripening consists of exposing the tomatoes to a low concentration of ethylene gas under controlled temperature conditions in a special tomato-ripening room. This treatment initiates and controls the speed of the natural ripening and coloring process in the tomatoes.

Controlled ripening and coloring enable the grower to market tomatoes of more uniform color and quality than is possible with green or field-ripened produce. The timing of harvesting and marketing may, within limits, also be regulated by the use of controlled ripening and coloring in order to achieve maximum returns and make the best use of labor and equipment.

Ripening Conditions

All fruit must be mature green at harvest for controlled ripening to be successfully carried out. Relative humidity does not appear to be of great importance in the tomato-ripening process. Little moisture loss from the tomatoes occurs during the ripening process due to the relatively impermeable nature of the tomato skin. Ripening time will depend on the ripening temperature range, however, ripening temperatures above 24°C will result in poor color development with yellow or orange fruit rather than red. The heating and cooling capacity should be such that the tomatoes can be brought to the recommended ripening temperature within 24 hours.

General Arrangement

A typical arrangement for a tomato ripening room is shown in Figure 1 with the essential components of the system identified.

Room Size and Construction

For efficiency and convenience in operation, on-farm tomato ripening rooms are usually sized to accommodate the normal daily tomato pick during the peak harvest time. The room capacity is generally in the range of two to ten tonnes of tomatoes; however, larger rooms may sometimes be installed. Since the average ripening time is three or four days, the provision of multiple rooms on one farm is generally desirable.

Air Circulation and Ventilation System

Fan-forced air circulation is required for adequate and uniform temperature control and ethylene gas distribution in the ripening room. An air circulation rate of two-room air volumes per minute is recommended for good results. This is equivalent to around 480 cubic meters of air per hour per tonne of tomatoes. At the recommended heating or cooling capacity of 0.6 to 1.2 kW per tonne of tomatoes, this gives an air temperature differential of 3.5 to 7°C across the heating or cooling system. These high air circulation rates are necessary to limit variations in temperature in different parts of the room to acceptable levels and to achieve an adequate rate of heating or cooling of the tomatoes. The ventilation system circulates the room air continuously, introducing a small proportion of fresh air and exhausting a similar amount of air at the same time. This prevents a build-up of ethylene gas in the room and also removes carbon dioxide produced by the fruit during respiration. If this carbon dioxide were allowed to build up to too high a level in the room atmosphere, it would interfere with the ripening process.

Temperature Control System

The temperature of tomatoes in the ripening room has a great influence on the ripening process. The product heat load usually represents around 80% of the total heat load. The remainder is due to heat transmission through the external walls of the room and the fresh air exchange rate. In some cases, both heating and cooling are required to maintain the room temperature within the required range. The time required for ripening can be reduced to some extent by increasing the temperature. Reverse cycle air-conditioners are successfully used for both heating and cooling in tomato-ripening rooms where humidity control does not appear to be of great importance.

Supply and Control Systems

With the trickled ethylene gas system, a low concentration of ethylene gas is maintained in the ripening room atmosphere by a continuous small, controlled flow of gas of about 10 parts per million (ppm). Ethylene gas is supplied as a bottled gas under high pressure and it is released into the ripening room through a pressure regulator and metering system. The outlet gas pressure is adjusted through the gas pressure regulator and the gas flow rate is then adjusted by the fine needle valve. A normally closed solenoid valve in the ethylene gas supply line ensures that gas is not discharged into the room unless the fans and ventilation system in the ripening room is operating. The solenoid valve is electrically interlocked with the operation of the ventilation system fans and is also controlled by an airflow switch. A gas control thermostat is used to measure when gas should be supplied to the room. The temperature-sensing element of this thermostat is pushed into a tomato so that it senses the pulp temperature of the tomatoes in different parts of the room. Provided that the ethylene gas supply and control systems are correctly arranged, the ethylene gas concentration in the room will not exceed the low level which is sufficient for ripening but is far below the explosion hazard level. Under these conditions, tomato-ripening rooms installed on farms and used only for ripening fruit produced by the owner have been approved by certain Electricity Commissions as not constituting a hazardous location.

Questions 1– 3:

Requirements for successful use of the Ethylene Gas System for Tomato Ripening:

1 Tomatoes should be picked when they are _____________.

2 Room temperature must be ______________ °C.

3 Optimal ripening temperature for fruit must be achieved ___________.

Questions 4– 7:

Questions 8— 14:

Example: Ethylene gas systems improve the grower’s chance of selling the tomatoes.

Answer TRUE

8 Carbon dioxide is not beneficial to the ripening process.

9 The outside air temperature determines the amount of extra heating needed in the ripening room.

10 Increased temperature can speed up the maturing process.

11 For successful tomato ripening, humidity levels need to be carefully monitored.

12 The solenoid valve has to be checked at regular intervals.

13 A build-up of ethylene gas may result in an explosion.

14 Setting up ethylene gas ripening rooms is not always safe.

Answers of Tomato Ripening Reading Answers With Location and Explanations

Find detailed explanations and answers to Tomato Ripening Reading Passage and get an idea about the areas for improvement for a top IELTS band score.

1 Answer: (mature) green

Question type: Table Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 3

Answer explanation: The introductory line of paragraph 3 states that all fruit must be mature green at harvest for controlled ripening to be successfully carried out. These lines indicate that all the fruits including tomatoes should be mature green at harvest for ripening to be carried out successfully. As a result, tomatoes should be picked when they’re mature green. Thus, the answer is (mature) green.

2 Answer: under/ below/ up to/ less than 24

Question type: Table Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 3, line 4

Answer explanation: The 4th line of the 3rd paragraph states that ripening time will depend on the ripening temperature range, however, ripening temperatures above 24°C. These lines suggest that the room temperature during the ripening time should be under/ below/ up to/ less than 24 C. Thus, the answer is under/ below/ up to/ less than 24.

3 Answer: within 24 hours

Question type: Table Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 3, last line

Answer explanation: The last line of the 3rd paragraph states that heating and cooling capacity should be such that the tomatoes can be brought to the recommended ripening temperature within 24 hours. These lines indicate that the optimal ripening temperature for the fruit must be achieved within 24 hours. Thus, the answer is within 24 hours.

4 Answer: color/ colouring (process)

Question type: Flowchart Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 1

Answer explanation: In the last line of the first paragraph, it is mentioned that this treatment initiates and controls the speed of the natural ripening and coloring process in the tomatoes. We can deduce from these lines that tomatoes are harvested, and placed in the ripening room to regulate ripening, which enhances the colors/coloring process.

5 Answer: variation

Question type: Flowchart Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 6, line 6

Answer explanation: The 6th line of paragraph 6 illustrates that the high air circulation rates are necessary to limit variations in temperature in different parts of the room to acceptable levels and to achieve an adequate rate of heating or cooling of the tomatoes. We can understand from these lines that the high air circulation rates are essential to limit variations in temperature in different parts of the room. Thus, the answer is variation.

6 Answer: carbon dioxide/ ethylene gas

Question type: Flowchart Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 6, line 9

Answer explanation: The 9th line of the 6th paragraph states that the ventilation system circulates the room air continuously, introducing a small proportion of fresh air and exhausting a similar amount of air at the same time. This prevents a build-up of ethylene gas in the room and also removes carbon dioxide produced by the fruit during respiration. We can deduce from these lines that the ventilation circulates the room air introducing a small amount of fresh air at the same time, which prevents building up the ethylene gas in the room and removing carbon dioxide produced by the fruit during respiration. Thus, the answer is carbon dioxide.

7 Answer: ethylene gas/ carbon dioxide

Question type: Flowchart Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 6, line 9

Answer explanation: The 9th line of the 6th paragraph illustrates that the ventilation system circulates the room air continuously, introducing a small proportion of fresh air and exhausting a similar amount of air at the same time. This prevents a build-up of ethylene gas in the room and also removes carbon dioxide produced by the fruit during respiration. These lines indicate that the ventilation system controls the amount of ethylene gas and carbon dioxide. Hence, the answer is ethylene gas.

8 Answer: False

Question type: True/False/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 6, line 9

Answer explanation: The 9th line of the 6th paragraph reveals that the ventilation system circulates the room air continuously, introducing a small proportion of fresh air and exhausting a similar amount of air at the same time. This prevents a build-up of ethylene gas in the room and also removes carbon dioxide produced by the fruit during respiration. We can understand from the lines that the ventilation system controls the amount of ethylene and carbon dioxide during respiration. Thus, it is clear that carbon dioxide is not beneficial to the ripening process. As a result, the statement contradicts the information, so, the answer is False.

9 Answer: False

Question type: True/False/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 6, line 4

Answer explanation: In the 4th line of the 6th paragraph, it is stated that at the recommended heating or cooling capacity of 0.6 to 1.2 kW per tonne of tomatoes, this gives an air temperature differential of 3.5 to 7°C across the heating or cooling system. We can deduce from these lines that the air temperature differentiates from 3.5 to 7 across the heating or cooling system when it’s at the suggested heating/ cooling capacity of 0.6 to 1.2 kW per tonne of tomato. Hence, the statement contradicts the information, so, the answer is False.

10 Answer: True

Question type: True/False/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 7, line 5

Answer explanation: The 5th line of paragraph 7 states that the time required for ripening can be reduced to some extent by increasing the temperature. Reverse cycle air-conditioners are successfully used for both heating and cooling in tomato-ripening rooms where humidity control does not appear to be of great importance. These lines indicate that increased temperature can speed up the maturation process. Thus, the statement agrees with the information, so, the answer is True.

11 Answer: False

Question type: True/False/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 7, last line

Answer explanation: The last line of paragraph 7 states that reverse cycle air-conditioners are successfully used for both heating and cooling in tomato-ripening rooms where humidity control does not appear to be of great importance. We can understand from these lines that the reverse cycle air conditioners are used for both heating and cooling in the tomato ripening rooms where humidity controls don’t appear to be of higher importance. Thus, the statement contradicts the information, so, the answer is False.

12 Answer: Not Given

Question type: True/False/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 9, line 6

Answer explanation: We find a reference for Solenoid in the 6th line of paragraph 9, which states that a normally closed solenoid valve in the ethylene gas supply line ensures that gas is not discharged into the room unless the fans and ventilation system in the ripening room is operating. However, there’s no reference to the fact that the solenoid valve has to be checked at regular intervals. Thus, the answer is Not Given.

13 Answer: True

Question type: True/False/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 8, line 11

Answer explanation: The 11th line of the 8th paragraph states, “Provided that the ethylene gas supply and control systems are correctly arranged, the ethylene gas concentration in the room will not exceed the low level which is sufficient for ripening but is far below the explosion hazard level.” We can understand from these lines that ethylene has supply and control systems are correctly arranged, the ethylene gas concentration in the room will not exceed the low level which is sufficient for ripening but is far below the explosion hazard level. Thus, it is evident that a build-up of ethylene gas may result in an explosion. Hence, the statement agrees with the information, so, the answer is True.

Tips to Solve the Question Types in Tomato Ripening IELTS Reading Answers

As you now know the answers to the Reading Answers of Tomato Ripening with explanation, let us look at some quick tips for answering the three types of questions in the passage.

Sentence Completion:

In the sentence completion of the IELTS Reading test, you will be asked to fill in the blanks in incomplete phrases with the relevant words or numbers.

• Read the instructions carefully. It will help you determine the word limit (no more than two, one word, etc) and important terms like ‘using words from the text’ or ‘from the text’. You have to follow these strictly.
• Read the incomplete sentences first. Also, think about keywords and how they could be represented by synonyms or paraphrasing.
• Locate where the information is by using IELTS Reading keyword techniques. If you can’t, move on.
• Study the reading text by using the skimming and scanning techniques. It will help to establish the answer quickly. When scanning for your answer, make sure you are thinking about paraphrasing and synonyms.
• The answers appear in the same order as the questions. Also, check your spelling and remember that your answer should be grammatically correct.

Flowchart Completion:

The way to solve the flowchart completion questions of the IELTS Reading is similar to IELTS Reading Summary Completion. You will be asked to fill in missing information in a flow chart based on the information provided in the passage. Here's a detailed guide on how to approach flow chart completion effectively:

• Read the instructions carefully: Before you start reading the passage or flowchart, make sure you understand what the question is asking for. Pay attention to the instructions provided for word limit.
• Skim the flowchart and headings: Quickly glance over the flowchart and its headings to get an idea of the structure and what information it contains. This will help you understand the context before you start reading in detail.
• Identify keywords: Look for keywords or key phrases in the question that will help you locate the relevant information in the passage or flowchart. Circle or underline these keywords to stay focused while reading.
• Scan the passage: Scan the passage for the specific information mentioned in the question. You don't need to read every word in detail; instead, look for keywords or related terms that match those in the question.
• Use context clues: Sometimes, the information needed to fill in the flowchart may not be explicitly stated but can be inferred from the surrounding text. Use context clues to make educated guesses if necessary.
• Be cautious with synonyms: The information in the passage may be paraphrased or expressed using synonyms. Stay alert for variations of keywords or terms that convey the same meaning.

True/False/Not Given

In IELTS Reading, ‘True, False, Not Given’ questions are based on facts. Several factual statements will be provided to you, and it is up to you to determine whether or not they are accurate by reading the text. To answer this type of question, you can use the following strategies:

• Read the question and identify the keywords - Before reading the material, have a look at your list of True, False, and Not Given questions.
• Scan the passage for synonyms or paraphrased words of the keywords - When you have highlighted the keywords, swiftly read the text to look for paraphrases or synonyms.
• Match the highlighted words in the questions with their synonyms in the text - Once you find both sets of keywords, cross-check them to find the answer.
• Identify the answer - If the facts match, the answer is TRUE, and in case it doesn’t match, it is FALSE. If you are unable to find the answer or unsure of it, mark it NOT GIVEN.

Get Better at Reading for IELTS with IELTSMaterial

You would really benefit from practicing more academic reading practice exams such as Tomato Ripening Reading Answers as well as IELTS reading actual tests!

Join our free trial sessions to get advice from IELTS experts on how to ace the reading portion of the exam. Additionally, you can solve your queries on the IELTS reading section by interacting with IELTS experts by signing up for a free trial. Don’t forget to leave a comment below to let us know how this blog has helped you prepare!

Also Check:

• A Second Attempt At Domesticating The Tomato - IELTS Reading Answers
• IELTS Reading Recent Actual Tests
• 101 IELTS Academic Reading Past Test Papers with Answers PDF Download
• 15 Days' Practice for IELTS Reading PDF with Answers (General And Academic)
• IELTS Reading Previous Year Actual Tests with Answers PDF
• Hello Happiness- IELTS Reading Answer
• Food For Thoughts- IELTS Reading Answers
• Bumblebee Conservation- IELTS Reading Answers
• Guide to entertainment in Westhaven
• Best IELTS Reading Strategies